ZOHAR QUESTIONS – DANIEL MATT 1) How Did You First Become Drawn
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The Exegetical Craft of the Zohar: Toward an Appreciation
THE EXEGETICAL CRAFT OF THE ZOHAR: TOWARD AN APPRECIATION ELIEZER SEGAL As a consequence of the specialization that thrives in current humanistic studies, it is not surprising that scholarship has tended to classify the literary creations of the past into fixed compartments. In the study of medieval Judaism, it is particularly common to follow the traditional division of disci- plines into philosophy, Kabbalah, and rabbinism-a categorization that was indeed promoted by the medievals themselves.' Following this way of thinking, the study of Rashi's biblical commentaries would be assigned to one class of scholars devoted to the study of rabbinic Judaism; Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed to experts in Jewish philosophy; and the Zohar to yet a third group consisting of specialists in Jewish mysticism. As helpful as such a division of labor may be, we should not lose sight of 1. Some aspects of the interrelationships between the three medieval Jewish disciplines of "talmudism," philosophy, and Kabbalah are explored by I. Twersky, "Talmudists, Philoso- phers, Kabbalists: The Quest for Spirituality in the Sixteenth Century," in Jewish Thought in the Sixteenth Century, ed. B. Cooperman (Cambridge, Mass., and London, 1983), pp. 431-457. The classification underlies the fourfold division employed in R. Bahya b. Asher's commentary to the Pentateuch (to which he adds the method of peshat interpretation). 32 ELIEZER SEGAL the fact that these kinds of classifications tend to obscure the individuality of sources which can often, when taken on their own terms, prove notoriously difficult to pigeonhole. In the specific context of medieval Judaism, we must bear in mind that philosophers and mystics alike saw themselves as operat- ing within the tradition defined by the Talmud and Midrash, whose more profound or mysterious contents they were venturing to expound. -
Late Aramaic: the Literary and Linguistic Context of the Zohar’, Was Conducted in the Department of Hebrew and Jewish Studies at University College London
As per the self-archiving policy of Brill Academic Publishers: the article below is the submitted version. The final version is published as ‘The Aramaic of the Zohar: The Status Quaestionis’, in L.O. Kahn (ed.), Jewish Languages in Historical Perspective (IJS Studies in Judaica; Leiden: Brill, 2018), pp. 9–38. The Aramaic of the Zohar: The Status Quaestionis1 Alinda Damsma Toward the end of the thirteenth century the Kabbalah in Spain reached its creative peak with the emergence of Sefer ha-Zohar, Judaism’s most important corpus of mystical texts.2 It is a 1 This is an extended version of the paper I presented at the ‘Jewish Languages’ conference at University College London (26–27 July 2016). I would like to thank the conference organisers, Dr Lily Kahn and Prof. Mark Geller, for their kind invitation as well as for the acceptance of my paper in this volume. An earlier version of this paper was presented at the conference ‘Zohar — East and West’ at Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, in conjunction with the Ben-Zvi Institute in Jerusalem (28–30 December 2015). It is a pleasure to thank my respective hosts and audiences. I am particularly indebted to Prof. Theodore Kwasman, Prof. Ronit Meroz, and Prof. Willem Smelik, for reading the draft of this paper and kindly offering their expertise. I bear sole responsibility, however, for any errors that this paper may contain. The Aramaic dialects referred to in this article are abbreviated as follows: JBA = Jewish Babylonian Aramaic. This dialect was used in Babylonia from about 200 CE until 900 CE (one of its sub-dialects is BTA= Babylonian Talmudic Aramaic, the main dialect employed in the Babylonian Talmud). -
Yaqub Al-Qirqisani: a Staunch Scripturalist? Karaite Literal Understanding and Scripturalism Under Islamic Rule
Yaqub al-Qirqisani: a staunch scripturalist? Karaite literal understanding and scripturalism under Islamic rule Anne van Toor- van der Zwaag Student number: S1015192 7 December 2017 First supervisor: Dr. C.E. Wilde Second supervisor: Prof. Dr. S.N. Mason 1 Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 3 Yaqub al-Qirqisani ...................................................................................................................... 6 Defining ‘Scripturalism’ .............................................................................................................. 8 Karaism ..................................................................................................................................... 13 Modern scholarship on the origins and development of Karaism ....................................... 14 Characteristics of Karaism .................................................................................................... 15 Elements of kalam and Mu’tazilism ................................................................................. 18 Political environment and questions of authority ........................................................... 22 The chain of tradition ...................................................................................................... -
The Halakhic Ritual of Giyyur and Its Symbolic Meaning’, Journal of Ritual Studies, 9, 1, 1995
Avi Sagi and Zvi Zohar, ‘The Halakhic Ritual of Giyyur and its Symbolic Meaning’, Journal of Ritual Studies, 9, 1, 1995. pp. 1-13. A. Sagi (Shalom Hartman Institute and Bar Ilan University) and Z. Zohar (Shalom Hartman Institute and Hebrew University) The Halakhic Ritual of Giyyur and its Symbolic Meaning Introduction Of all Judaic rituals, that of giyyur ('conversion') is arguably the most radical: it turns a Gentile into a Jew - once and for all and irrevocably. 1 The very possibility of such a transformation seems prima facia anomalous, according to Jewish tradition, which regards Jewishness as an ascriptive status entered through birth to a Jewish mother. Choice of religion in no way affects that status: a Jew who has converted to (e.g.) Islam remains nevertheless a Jew, according to Judaic normative tradition (halakha). What is the internal logic of the ritual of giyyur, which seems to enable a Gentile to acquire an 'ascribed' identity? It is to that question, and others deriving from it, that we address ourselves herein . Interpretation of a ritual such as giyyur is linked to broad issues of anthropology, religion and culture: the relation of 'nature' and 'culture' in the construction of group boundaries; the tension between ethnicity and religion; the interrelation of individual identity and membership in a collective. However, in this article we the focus upon a close reading of primary halakhic texts as a key to the explication of meaning within the Judaic tradition . Judaic tradition itself is multi-faceted. Here, we analyze one cultural strand, that of halakha, i.e., the genre of religious texts devoted to discussion and definition of the norms governing Jewish praxis. -
On Being a Jewish Author: the Trace of the Messiah in Elie Wiesel's Novels
On Being a Jewish Author: The Trace of the Messiah in Elie Wiesel’s Novels David Patterson University of Texas at Dallas n Somewhere a Master (1982), Elie Wiesel invokes a teaching from Pinchas of Koretz, a disciple of the Baal Shem Tov, founder Iof Hasidism: “To be Jewish is to link one’s fate to that of the Messiah—to that of all who are waiting for the Messiah” (23). To link one’s fate to that of the Messiah is not only to await but also to work for the coming of the Messiah, even though he may tarry— even though, if one may speak such words, he may never come. To be sure: the Messiah is the one who has forever yet to come , so that to be Jewish is to forever be engaged with an eternal yet to be . To live is to live on the edge of the yet to be . Or, for Wiesel, to live is to live in the midst of the and yet . There abides the Messiah: in the and yet . For Wiesel, to link one’s fate to that of the Messiah is to link one’s fate to the and yet , particularly after the Shoah. The Shoah al - tered forever the meaning of the Twelfth of Maimonides’ Thirteen Principles of Faith, the belief in the coming of the Messiah, even though he may tarry—a belief that would recur throughout the works and the life of Elie Wiesel. Bearing witness to the truth and the wisdom of the Jewish mes - sianic tradition was, for Wiesel, the tie that most profoundly bound L&B 38.1 2018 2 / Literature and Belief him to the Jewish tradition and therefore to Jewish life: for Wiesel the tie to Jewish tradition was his post-Holocaust connection to life, and that bond lay most profoundly in his link to the Messiah. -
Kabbalah As a Shield Against the “Scourge” of Biblical Criticism: a Comparative Analysis of the Torah Commentaries of Elia Benamozegh and Mordecai Breuer
Kabbalah as a Shield against the “Scourge” of Biblical Criticism: A Comparative Analysis of the Torah Commentaries of Elia Benamozegh and Mordecai Breuer Adiel Cohen The belief that the Torah was given by divine revelation, as defined by Maimonides in his eighth principle of faith and accepted collectively by the Jewish people,1 conflicts with the opinions of modern biblical scholarship.2 As a result, biblical commentators adhering to both the peshat (literal or contex- tual) method and the belief in the divine revelation of the Torah, are unable to utilize the exegetical insights associated with the documentary hypothesis developed by Wellhausen and his school, a respected and accepted academic discipline.3 As Moshe Greenberg has written, “orthodoxy saw biblical criticism in general as irreconcilable with the principles of Jewish faith.”4 Therefore, in the words of D. S. Sperling, “in general, Orthodox Jews in America, Israel, and elsewhere have remained on the periphery of biblical scholarship.”5 However, the documentary hypothesis is not the only obstacle to the religious peshat commentator. Theological complications also arise from the use of archeolog- ical discoveries from the ancient Near East, which are analogous to the Torah and can be a very rich source for its interpretation.6 The comparison of biblical 246 Adiel Cohen verses with ancient extra-biblical texts can raise doubts regarding the divine origin of the Torah and weaken faith in its unique sanctity. The Orthodox peshat commentator who aspires to explain the plain con- textual meaning of the Torah and produce a commentary open to the various branches of biblical scholarship must clarify and demonstrate how this use of modern scholarship is compatible with his or her belief in the divine origin of the Torah. -
Tanya Sources.Pdf
The Way to the Tree of Life Jewish practice entails fulfilling many laws. Our diet is limited, our days to work are defined, and every aspect of life has governing directives. Is observance of all the laws easy? Is a perfectly righteous life close to our heart and near to our limbs? A righteous life seems to be an impossible goal! However, in the Torah, our great teacher Moshe, Moses, declared that perfect fulfillment of all religious law is very near and easy for each of us. Every word of the Torah rings true in every generation. Lesson one explores how the Tanya resolved these questions. It will shine a light on the infinite strength that is latent in each Jewish soul. When that unending holy desire emerges, observance becomes easy. Lesson One: The Infinite Strength of the Jewish Soul The title page of the Tanya states: A Collection of Teachings ספר PART ONE לקוטי אמרים חלק ראשון Titled הנקרא בשם The Book of the Beinonim ספר של בינונים Compiled from sacred books and Heavenly מלוקט מפי ספרים ומפי סופרים קדושי עליון נ״ע teachers, whose souls are in paradise; based מיוסד על פסוק כי קרוב אליך הדבר מאד בפיך ובלבבך לעשותו upon the verse, “For this matter is very near to לבאר היטב איך הוא קרוב מאד בדרך ארוכה וקצרה ”;you, it is in your mouth and heart to fulfill it בעזה״י and explaining clearly how, in both a long and short way, it is exceedingly near, with the aid of the Holy One, blessed be He. "1 of "393 The Way to the Tree of Life From the outset of his work therefore Rav Shneur Zalman made plain that the Tanya is a guide for those he called “beinonim.” Beinonim, derived from the Hebrew bein, which means “between,” are individuals who are in the middle, neither paragons of virtue, tzadikim, nor sinners, rishoim. -
University of Southampton Research Repository Eprints Soton
University of Southampton Research Repository ePrints Soton Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non-commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF HUMANITIES English Department Hasidic Judaism in American Literature by Eva van Loenen Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy December 2015 UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF YOUR HUMANITIES English Department Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy HASIDIC JUDAISM IN AMERICAN LITERATURE Eva Maria van Loenen This thesis brings together literary texts that portray Hasidic Judaism in Jewish-American literature, predominantly of the 20th and 21st centuries. Although other scholars may have studied Rabbi Nachman, I.B. Singer, Chaim Potok and Pearl Abraham individually, no one has combined their works and examined the depiction of Hasidism through the codes and conventions of different literary genres. Additionally, my research on Judy Brown and Frieda Vizel raises urgent questions about the gendered foundations of Hasidism that are largely elided in the earlier texts. -
Jewish Mysticism, Ritual Murder, and the Trial of Mendel Beilis
Swarthmore College Works History Faculty Works History 2015 Connecting The Dots: Jewish Mysticism, Ritual Murder, And The Trial Of Mendel Beilis Robert Weinberg Swarthmore College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-history Part of the History Commons Let us know how access to these works benefits ouy Recommended Citation Robert Weinberg. (2015). "Connecting The Dots: Jewish Mysticism, Ritual Murder, And The Trial Of Mendel Beilis". Word And Image In Russian History: Essays In Honor Of Gary Marker. 238-252. https://works.swarthmore.edu/fac-history/464 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License This work is brought to you for free by Swarthmore College Libraries' Works. It has been accepted for inclusion in History Faculty Works by an authorized administrator of Works. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Connecting the Dots: Jewish Mysticism, Ritual Murder, and the Trial of Mendel Beilis Robert Weinberg (Swarthmore College) he prosecution of Mendel Beilis for the murder of thirteen-year-old TAndrei Iushchinskii in Kiev a century ago is perhaps the most publi- cized instance of blood libel since the torture and execution of Jews accused of ritually murdering the infant Simon of Trent in 1475. By the time of the trial in the fall of 1913, the Beilis case had become an inter- national cause célèbre. Like the trials of Alfred Dreyfus in the 1890s and the outcry that accompanied the Damascus Affair in the 1840s, the arrest, incarceration, and trial of Beilis aroused public criticism of Russia’s treatment of Jews and inspired opponents of the autocracy at home and abroad to launch a campaign to condemn the trial. -
Applied Peshat: Historical-Critical Method and Religious Meaning
Applied Peshat: Historical-Critical Method and Religious Meaning STEPHEN GARFINKEL Jewish Theological Seminary of America Yochanan Muffs is scholar of rare intellectual breadth. Since the range of topics in which he is interested and expert is so vast, one might appropriately write in his honor in any number if areas. Yet, the strand underlying, if not unify ing, his writings and studies is that of meaning. It is Professor Muffs' appreciation of "significance," therefore, which motivates this article in tribute to an esteemed colleague. I am all the more grateful for this privilege since it was Yochanan Muffs' teaching (nearly twenty years ago in a course on Jeremiah and Second Isaiah) that first induced me to pursue advanced biblical studies. I It is not clear whether ideas can exist independent of their formulation in language (even granting that the formulation may remain unverba1ized),2 but preparing this pa per has compelled me to articulate and refine some of the notions which I have accepted in an imprecise way over the past years. In a sense, this article is a response to a series of broadly-phrased questions, indirectly-voiced concerns, and perplexed looks that have been a refrain or undercurrent for many discussions in classes I have taught to un dergraduate, graduate, and rabbinical students during the past decade. The unasked, but motivating, question is this: aside from antiquarian interest, why study the peshat? Just below the surface of that question lies the following one: even for those to whom a peshat approach3 to biblical texts is not inimical, what is to be gained by using it? Will "historical-critical" analysis4 of the biblical text provide the sort of information that parallels religious inquiry but never intersects it? If so, peshat I. -
A Talmudist's Halakhic Hermeneutics: a New
JSIJ 10 (2012) 257-359 A TALMUDIST’S HALAKHIC HERMENEUTICS: A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF MAIMONIDES’ PRINCIPLE OF PESHAT PRIMACY* MORDECHAI Z. COHEN** לעילוי נשמת מורי ורבי פרופ ' מיכאל שו רץ זצ ל" , משכיל בדרך תמים "ע( פ תה ' )2קא )2קא While Moses Maimonides (1138-1204) is recognized as a profound Jewish philosopher and master talmudist, his biblical exegesis has received less attention and is generally viewed in isolation from the celebrated Andalusian exegetical school that had reached its zenith in his time, as reflected by his older contemporary Abraham Ibn Ezra (1089-1164). Fleeing from Spain in 1140, Ibn Ezra spent the rest of his life wandering from town to town throughout Italy, France and * Research for this study was supported by two Stern College Ivry Faculty Enhancement Awards and a Bernard Revel Graduate School travel grant to consult manuscripts in Jerusalem. I thank Baruch Alster, David Berger, Yitzhak Berger, Baruch Schwartz, Josef Stern, Eran Viezel and an anonymous JSIJ reviewer for their learned and helpful suggestions on earlier drafts of this essay. Michael Schwarz reviewed this essay in detail, generously sharing with me his profound understanding of Maimonides and wide-ranging knowledge of Arabic. Sadly, he passed away recently, and this publication is dedicated to his memory as a token of my appreciation. I thank Robert Gleave and Joseph Lowry for guiding my foray into the study of Muslim jurisprudence in preparation for this study. This essay is part of a series of studies of mine (some referred to in the notes below) that situate Maimonides within the so-called “ peshat school” of Jewish exegesis, a subject addressed comprehensively in my recently published monograph, Opening the Gates of Interpretation: Maimonides’ Biblical Hermeneutics in Light of His Geonic-Andalusian Heritage and Muslim Milieu (Leiden 2011). -
A Whiteheadian Interpretation of the Zoharic Creation Story
A WHITEHEADIAN INTERPRETATION OF THE ZOHARIC CREATION STORY by Michael Gold A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida May 2016 Copyright 2016 by Michael Gold ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The author wishes to express sincere gratitude to his committee members, Professors Marina Banchetti, Frederick E. Greenspahn, Kristen Lindbeck, and Eitan Fishbane for their encouragement and support throughout this project. iv ABSTRACT Author: Michael Gold Title: A Whiteheadian Interpretation of the Zoharic Creation Story Institution: Florida Atlantic University Dissertation Advisor: Dr. Marina P. Banchetti Degree: Doctor of Philosophy Year: 2016 This dissertation presents a Whiteheadian interpretation of the notions of mind, immanence and process as they are addressed in the Zohar. According to many scholars, this kabbalistic creation story as portrayed in the Zohar is a reaction to the earlier rabbinic concept of God qua creator, which emphasized divine transcendence over divine immanence. The medieval Jewish philosophers, particularly Maimonides influenced by Aristotle, placed particular emphasis on divine transcendence, seeing a radical separation between Creator and creation. With this in mind, these scholars claim that one of the goals of the Zohar’s creation story was to emphasize God’s immanence within creation. Similar to the Zohar, the process metaphysics of Alfred North Whitehead and his followers was reacting to the substance metaphysics that had dominated Western philosophy as far back as ancient Greek thought. Whitehead adopts a very similar narrative to that of the Zohar.